I saw you had a laptop sitting on the table in the “Nosy Scorch” picture. Do the kittens ever nap on it if it’s been on for a while and all warmed up?
The kittens actually don’t mess with the laptop at all! Of course, now that I said that, it’ll be their #1 favorite place to hang out, right?
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What is it about those track ball toys that makes kittens want to sit in the middle? I can’t tell you how many pictures I have with them sitting in there or snoozing in there.
It must be because they fit so perfectly in the center. And now that I’ve said that, I feel duty-bound to repost a couple of my favorite kitten-in-track-ball pictures!
That’s Beulah, from The Seven.
And of course Dandelion (now Pearl), one of the Weeds girls.
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Ember needs a soundtrack for setting sail:
HA – that is TOTALLY Ember’s kinda music!
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My favorite thing about the new site design is that the icon for Love and Hisses on my toolbar is a teeny weeny picture of Stompy.
Isn’t that great? I wondered if anyone would notice! That’s a teeny version of this picture:
For anyone who hadn’t noticed, I don’t know if it shows up in all browsers – it does in Chrome, that’s all I can say for sure – but up in the toolbar, there should be a tiny picture. Currently it’s that picture of Stompers. I may change it from time to time as the spirit moves me…
Oh, who am I kidding? We all know I’ll never get around to changing it again! π
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Oh…I just noticed we can’t read the comments on past posts anymore. Was I the only geek who was reading the past comments, too? π
(I know I already told you this, Amy, but I’ll post the answer again, on the off chance that someone who wants to read comments on old entries didn’t see your comment and my response.)
Comments on posts close after 21 days (to prevent any spam from sneaking through), but if you want to see the comments on an old post, just click on the post title at the top (usually it’s just the date for that post), and the comments should show up at the bottom of the page. I need to figure out how to make it so that the “comments” link still shows up even if the comments are closed, but I think I’m going to have to actually ask someone!
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We love the idea of a whole row of those houses, in different colors of course. May we ask where you find those houses? We’re thinking of adding one to our outside kitty area. Thanks in advance!
I’m not 100% positive, but I think I got it online at Overstock.com. This is the one we have, though they have different sizes. We stuff it with straw, and the cats love it.
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Whenever I see a photo of one of the cats in that house, all I can think of is black widow convention! How do you keep something like that free of them?
I spend inordinate amounts of time hunting for and disposing of them. I hate those things.
I check inside the house pretty often, and haven’t seen any Black Widows – or any other spiders, surprisingly. I think maybe with the cats constantly coming and going, the spiders decided to seek less furry places to be.
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This is really a question for Oldcat. A friend of mine has a fiber CSA and has gotten two kittens to help offset her older barn cat’s duties.
The male Francis is white, blue eyes, tabby rings of orange on his tail, and almost flame points on ears and face. The first pic on the blog shows his back which is tabby/speckled/I don’t know what. You don’t see it much from the sides. What do call the markings on his back?
The other, Clare, is a black tuxie girl, more spider monkey than cat π
Any help you can give would be appreciated.
I, personally, would call that a spotted back, but I suspect there’s a better (more technical?) term.
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um.. you no longer seem to have the ‘random’ button..
It’s there, in the sidebar under the “archives” link. It’s just a different color than it used to be.
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I kept thinking that first picture, with Maxi glaring through the window, reminded me of something. It finally came to me. π
Ha!
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Is Jon snow going to be a flame point meezer??? I so love me a flame point meezer.
He certainly seems to be headed in that direction!
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What do you do with those egg shells?
When I have a bowl full of them, I run them through the food processor until they’re ground up fine, and then we feed them back to the chickens. The calcium helps to keep the shells hard on the eggs they have yet to lay.
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Hm, so will my little boys begin to purr and cuddle if they are separated from their mom? I hate to try to send Honey off, she’s so comfortable – but the boys are way too busy playing to bother purring for a human… which might affect their ability to charm an adopter…and they are all neutered now and approaching 3 pounds.
Since they’re neutered, I think it’s fine to separate them from their mother. It might take a day or two, but eventually they’ll decide that the humans are a good source for love, snuggling, and FOOD. π
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Almost looks like you need gloves to protect from all those puncture holes in your hands! Seriously makes you feel for all the momma cats out there..
and
Robyn, have you considered wearing a glove of some type (leather or gardening)?
I have worn gloves in the past, but I found that the pain of having little claws sunk into my skin was less painful than the annoyance of wearing gloves, so I’ve learned to put up with it. I’ve gotten used to it – but I certainly have sympathy for mama cats. I don’t know that I could put up with THAT kind of pain!
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Would you mind going over to Catonsville Cats and reading the review I posted today of the new kitten care ebook by the dailykitten people? I was horrified when I read the contents of the Amazon preview, and I wrote a review there and also put it on my blog. The rescue community needs to be sure to put the word out about this book. It’s shocking. Did you know kittens from breeders are more likely to be healthy and friendly? Sigh. I hope to see more people expressing unhappiness about this book. Thanks…
That is absolutely appalling! Thank you for the heads up on this book, I’m just speechless! (I did click over to Amazon to look at the book, and found the reviews there very well said!)
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Scorch has turned into the lovebug of the Dragons. He’s not totally comfortable coming downstairs all the time, but he’ll come if coaxed. Yesterday, he was all OVER Fred, who was sitting on the couch in the front room trying to write.
“Hey. Puff frenly. When Puff wanna be. You gots food?”
“Somebody need to clean this window, lady. I nominate YOU.”
“Talk to the paw, lady. Talk. To. The. PAW.”
It’s a sad, sad thing when the sun melts all those kittens.
“I’m melting! I’m melllllllltingggggggggg!”
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This is the cage the Starks are in. It’s plenty big enough for them, at least for now. I don’t think they’ll need to be confined for too long. (They get plenty of time to run around and get snuggles after they eat.)
Close up, so you can see the pretty blue eyes.
Jon Snow, always the first to climb into my lap and demand a belly rub.
Brandon demands a belly rub AND that I admire his toes.
I wiped her face off, but you can still see her canned-food mustache.
Thinking about the best way to get over that wall.
Brandon, first to discover the scratcher.
Oh, Arya. (This is actually (so far) the only time she’s peed outside of the litter box. And yes, rather than grab her up and put her in the litter box to finish, I took a picture. You’d expect nothing else from me! And I’m sorry, but come on. She’s SO CUTE, squatting there like that!)
Random Felines mentioned the idea of adding some of the Precious Cat Litter Attractant to the litter boxes in that room. I had some of the attractant, so put it in all the litter boxes in that room. It’s too soon to know if it will make a difference, but it certainly can’t hurt.
Speaking of peeing kittens, I have washable pee pads in three different sizes; I ordered them off Amazon, and they have come in SO handy. I use the 17×24 size in cat beds (we were having an issue with the cat beds being peed on last year, grrrr), under water dishes, and lately as liners for the bathtub when the Starks were in the tub, to make cleanup easier. I use the 34 x 36 size under litter boxes, and now as a liner for the cage that the Starks are in. I think I also used them in the corners of the foster room when the Dragons were small and prone to peeing in corners. I use the 35×80 size on the backs and seats of our couches, have put them on the footboard of my bed (when we were having a spraying issue) and right now I’ve got two of them on the floor of the foster room where the Starks are, instead of rugs. In that picture of Arya peeing, that’s what she’s peeing on. I’d WAY rather she pee on that than on the floor. (I mean, I’d REALLY rather she pee in the litter box but, you know. That wasn’t apparently an option for her at that point in time. She’s a bayyyyyyybeeeeeee.)
They aren’t cheap, especially when you consider that the big ones aren’t Prime shipping eligible from Amazon, so you have to pay extra for shipping, but they’ve come in super handy, and they wash easily. I’ve actually dyed them all (the big ones and small ones are blue and purple, and the 34 x 36 are green) because I didn’t like the white.
Just thought I’d mention that, because they are probably one of the best ideas I’ve had. And, hey – when I get old and incontinent, I’ll be good to go!
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Oh, Corbs. No one holds a candle to you, you know that?
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Previously
2012: We like to keep the entire animal kingdom hydrated.
2011: βYa know, I was just LAYING here taking a snooze, and before I knew it, these little monsters had latched on!β
2010: Random animal pics.
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: Theyβll be fine, theyβll be fine, theyβll be fine, theyβll be fineβ¦
βIβm melting! Iβm melllllllltingggggggggg!β – hahahahaha
Jon Snow thinking about the best way to get over that wall. – Good one!!
Your post was excellent today.
For soem reason I pictured your home completely lined with pee pads. LOL
Some days I feel like it is!
My dream house would be one where the whole thing could be stuffed into the washer. Maybe I need to be living in a tent!
By the way, I went to Amazon and I wrote a review for that book Kitten Care For Beginners. I have three rescues…and I and everyone here knows that what was stated it that book is misinformation and down right lies.
Wow – I don’t know if it was y’all’s awesome rebuttals, but I just looked and the book isn’t listed as available anymore. Good work!! I bet Amazon knows better than to stir up the cat community! π
My girlfriend just told me that…AND the ad is removed from The Daily Kitten! YAY!!!!
I find that amazing – after four bad reviews and a few blog posts, it’s pulled? There has to be some story behind this that we will never be privy to… But I’m proud of us that we spoke up so immediately about what it said. Thank you!
Oh that Jon Snow. He’s always trying to get over the wall.
melting…..yep – happens here too.
OK, I haven’t read the book, but I have to admit the ‘Hodor’ thing just cracks me up….I can imagine him walking away muttering it to himself π
I’m starting to have serious anxiety about the Dragons leaving (I am so in love with this litter)… but I’ll be damned if those Starks aren’t waylaying it a bit.
I know I’ve said it before but those babies are growing up so fast and turning into gorgeous kitties. You’re so amazing… I know for someone good with plants it’s called “having a green thumb” but what’s it called when you can grow kittens so well?
A purrrfect heart.
*Like*
Robyn, perhaps it’s time to take up the ukulele, then you could make videos like this one:
http://www.armykitty.com/videos/girl-and-her-ridiculously-adorable-kitten-perform-a-nerdy-love-song/
Oh good lord, that is WAY too cute!!!
That kitten made the video!!! I am not sure how she just didn’t stop playing and snorgle that baby! Too cute!
I had to come back and look at Hodor again.
This kitten is so cute I WANT TO EAT HIM ALL UP SNORF SNORM NORM NOM NOM.
buuuurrrrrrpp!
I cannot tell you how THRILLED I am to read of something called the “Precious Cat Litter Attractant” and *washable* pee pads!
We only have two cats – both female rescues, spayed & declawed (*ouchshudder*) by their previous owners. They are both middle-aged (6 & 8,) and have never warmed up to each other. Over the past 6 months, or so, the 6 year old, Sophie, has started peeing AND pooping outside the litter boxes (we have 2 – a traditional, and a motorized.) Nothing in their environment has changed – no new animals or people, litter is the same, as is their food.
I am beyond frustrated at cleaning up after her ALL. THE. TIME. I am going to get some of that cat litter attractant immediately, but if anyone has any other suggestions, please let me know!
P.S. – Clean bill of health from the vet, no bladder or kidney issues. Vet said must be behavior related.
Our vet put our peeing on everything cat on human antidepressant called Buspar. It worked. You cannot give it to dogs, but cats are ok.
Or approx 9 days on valium allows them to destress and forget why they were all out of sorts to begin with. Yep…even another cat.
And if drugs don’t work (or you don’t want to try them), you might want to try litterbox retraining – we were just discussing it in the comments yesterday – go here to check out the discussion.
I’ve noticed in both photos (looking plumper than ever) and the chart that Arya is packing on the ounces way fast now…even overtaking some others on weight…Amazing what eating canned in addition to milk will do, apparently! π
This morning I was finally able to get Jon Snow interested in the canned food, too. We’re halfway there! π
Yay! π
The three parallel lines on the back look like the kind a “classic tabby” often has (look at Maru). There is an uncommon gene that will break up tabby patterns into spots which seems to be happening here.
It is a little hard to tell if the cat has white spotting and is a van, or if it is points (athough then the back should be whiter than the feet), or a weak case of pointing so that the pattern will emerge with time (like Robyn’s Stinkerbelle).
If there is *any* sign of stripes on the sides then it isn’t while spotting there (and thus a van pattern). But flame points are so light because of the fading regardless…
You can look on my blog at Calpurnia to see how well white spotting trumps the normal color. Or look at the other tuxie kitten, where the black is totally covered by white on the paws.
It is also possible that the spots join up as the cat ages. There’s a lot of stuff going on in that coat and who knows what will happen in the end.
Thanks for the info. Yes, he will be one to watch to see how his coat develops.
I’m not sure John Snow is pointed – he could be dominant white. I don’t see much sign of points showing on the nose, feet or tail.
That will come with age.
I just got the Lilybet banner. It’s so awesome. I have a Torti cat named Boo that looks a lot like Lilybet. Thanks Robyn for the redesign. I’m loving Banner Roulette.
Banner Roulette! That’s the perfect name for it. I play it myself sometimes, even though I’ve already seen all the banners. π
Good to go!? *groan*
I’m surprised you go to the trouble of grinding up those egg shells. We used to just toss them in the chicken yard. The chickens would go nuts over them and there was never a speck left. It’s also weird as heck to see chickens running around carrying a half an egg shell in their beak.. See, picture opportunity! lol
Those teeny babies in the cage look like they’re plotting escape! If they had tiny coffee cups they’d totally be banging them on the bars!
I kept trying to figure out what was so compelling about Puff – he kind of looks like the Cowardly Lion, but that wasn’t it. Today I finally go it – he looks like an “old soul”. The rest of the (adorable) kittens have kitten faces, but he has a face that says he’s older and wiser than his years. Love that little fella!
Love the irony of Arya peeing on the pad with a container of litter right beside her!
Same coworker who’s trying to find homes for the kittens showed me this today, and I near about passed out from all the cute. It’s got a sad backstory, but does have a happy ending and the CUTE! OMG there is so much cute! Makes me want to learn how to crochet/knit… just in case.